Judging by his demeanor, it was clear there was nothing more to be squeezed out of him.
The Sun Gang, while one of the most powerful crime syndicates in all of Europe, was still led by Miloshevic — a man of the underworld, not a politician. His knowledge was limited.
"If I ever find out you've lied to us, we'll be back here to kill you first. Do you understand?"
Mari Makinami's voice was calm but edged with steel. She could see it too — Miloshevic had no more useful information to give. Still, the intel they had gotten tonight was already enormous.
"Yes, yes, I understand. I, Miloshevic, wouldn't dare utter a single false word. Every sentence is the truth!"
His tone was fervent, almost to the point of swearing an oath.
Seeing him like this, Kitazawa Ryōta and the others exchanged subtle glances. It seemed Miloshevic was indeed telling the truth. Everything was just as he'd said — the Sun Gang had played only a minor supporting role. The true hand behind the scenes was the Russian Federal Intelligence Service.
So in the end, Carson City was tied to Russia after all.
Ryoji Kaji sighed inwardly, a little impressed by Ryōta's instinct — he'd zeroed in on Russia as the mastermind from the start. Without him, Kaji would probably still be groping around in the dark, never guessing the Russian intelligence apparatus was involved.
For now, though, the priority was to leave Miloshevic's home. He was no longer relevant.
The next person they needed to meet was Director Ross.
With that thought, Mari yanked the main breaker, plunging the entire villa into darkness. Under cover of black, the three of them slipped away.
There was no need to take Miloshevic's life. He had already revealed the truth about Carson City, and leaving him alive would cause no small headache for Russian Intelligence.
After all, a secret known is no longer a secret. If they wanted to silence him forever, he would have no choice but to fight them with everything he had — something Ryōta realized on the spot.
Besides, none of the three were killers for pleasure. Without necessity, there was no need to take a life.
But after they were gone, Miloshevic felt himself spiraling into a kind of madness.
Only he knew how serious it was, now that he had spoken the truth.
It was as if he had handed his own life into someone else's hands — and not just anyone's, but two Japanese operatives, plus a woman who looked British, possibly MI6.
Carson City was too sensitive to allow the slightest leak. And Miloshevic realized, with a cold shiver, that if the things he and the Sun Gang had done for the Russian Federal Intelligence Service ever came to light, it wouldn't just be the Russians coming for his head — the Americans would too.
In the worst-case scenario, he could be gunned down in the street, his corpse left to rot for all to see.
That was a fate Miloshevic refused to accept. He was angry, anxious, and afraid.
But after nearly an hour of cold, methodical thought, he rose to his feet. The steely glint had returned to his eyes. The man who once struck fear into Europe as the Sun Gang's boss was back.
He understood clearly now — letting Ryōta and the others wring that secret out of him was a disaster of the highest order. If word got out, his end would be certain. Even if the Russians didn't move against him, the Americans surely would.
And everyone knew: Japan had always been America's ally. Now that the Japanese knew, the Americans soon would too.
When that happened, no individual's strength could stand against the machinery of a nation.
So his path was clear: kill them before they could pass the information along. That was the only chance he had to live. Perhaps the only one.
A cold smile crept onto his face.
Now, the true instincts of an underworld boss came flooding back — bloodthirsty, ruthless, unflinching, and utterly fearless.
"Men! I want men here, now! Every single member we've got in Moscow, bring them to me!"
He barked the order into the phone, voice thundering, and when it was done, he sat back down on the sofa, his face a stormcloud.
He hadn't given details over the phone. That would wait until his men arrived.
But when they did, storming in at his summons, they were met with a shocking sight:
Every guard who had been posted around the Miloshevic estate was lying unconscious.
The realization sent a ripple of disbelief through the room. Who could possibly have the skill to do such a thing? Could it have been a rival gang?
But no — this was the home of Miloshevic, the Sun Gang's boss. Not only was it heavily guarded, it bristled with cameras and traps to deter anyone with revenge on their mind.
In the world of crime, every boss had enemies. And the Sun Gang, one of Europe's most formidable syndicates, had more than most. Miloshevic had always taken precautions. Yet tonight, he had been outplayed.
Everyone was stunned.
"Hmph. Let me tell you — last night, someone broke into my house!" Miloshevic's voice was iron. "And the ones who broke in were the same Japanese I ordered you to find days ago. That's right, them. I order you: no matter the cost, find them and kill them on the spot! I don't care how many men die, I don't care how big the scene — I want them dead. Alive or dead, I want to see their bodies. Do you understand?"
PS: Access the complete chapters/series at